Disposable sanitary shield for undergarments



0, 1968 c. RICKARD 3,397,697

DISPOSABLE SANITARY SHIELD FOR UNDERGARMENTS Filed Sept. ,7, 1965 United States Patent 3,397,697 DISPOSABLE SANITARY SHIELD FOR UNDERGARMENTS Charlotte I. Rickard, Neenah, Wis., assignor to Kimberly- Clark Corporation, Neenah, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 485,252 15 Claims. (Cl. 128-288) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A disposable absorbent shield designed to encircle the crotch portion of panty undergarments to protect against soilage. The shield is made of flexible sheet material with an absorbent face and a fluid impervious backing. It is provided with adhesive means to permit forming a portion of the sheet into a band adapted to encircle the crotch portion of an undergarment in freely slidable relationship. Other portions of the sheet may extend into the body area of the undergarment for additional protection.

This invention relates to an absorbent sanitary device. More particularly it relates to a disposable absorbent shield employed to protect undergarments from soilage, especially when worn during menses.

In spite of extensive efforts by manufacturers of sanitary napkins and related absorbent catamenial devices to design products which afford complete protection to the user during the monthly menstrual period, soilage of undergarments still occurs. One of the most common failures is the soilage which occurs in the crotch area of womens panties.

In the past, various methods have been suggested and tried to prevent such soilage, or at least to alleviate it. For example, there are various sanitary panties on the market with a plastic crotch piece which may be wiped clean if soilage occurs. However, such panties are not convenient especially since they are designed only for special use and are not as comfortable as ordinary panties. Also they require special care when laundered.

Small disposable padlets have also been proposed, but these have other disadvantages hereinafter described.

An ideal solution would be one which permits the woman to wear her normal undergarment at all times, but to provide it with a disposable absorbent crotch piece which may be worn when needed, and which may be discarded and replaced by a clean unit if it becomes soiled.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive disposable crotch protector which can be discarded when soiled.

Another object is to provide a disposable crotch piece which is of simple construction and is easily attached to the panty.

A further object is to provide a disposable crotch shield which restricts the width of the crotch portion of a panty when in place, preventing edges of the crotch area of the panty from stretching up and over the sides of a sanitary napkin which may be worn in conjunction therewith, thus preventing such edges from becoming soiled.

Still another object is to provide a disposable crotch band which may be worn with a panty made of stretch fabric to provide in combination therewith supporting means for a santiary napkin.

An additional object is to provide a disposable crotch band which restricts the width of the crotch portion of a panty without impairing its longitudinal stretch.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description and accompanying drawing.

3,397,697 Patented Aug. 20, 1968 FIGURE 1 is a front view representing a conventional panty as it appears when worn on the body.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of the disposable absorbent crotch shield of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a front view representing the panty of FIG. 1 with the absorbent crotch shield of FIG 2 banded in place.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view, with one corner turned upward, of another embodiment of an absorbent crotch shield.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken through line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken through line 66 of FIG. 4.

FIGURE 7 is a bottom plan view of still another embodiment of the shield.

As noted above, one of the most common failures in sanitary protection has been found to occur, when the edges of the crotch portion in womens panties stretch up and around the sides of sanitary pads or napkins and become soiled by direct contact with body exudates or by reabsorption of fluid already deposited in the napkin. Merely attaching a small piece of supplementary absorbent material to the inside of the crotch portion of a garment such as is shown in US. Patent No. 3,044,467, helps to prevent the center of the crotch portion from becoming soiled, but a small padlet of the type shown in the patent does not prevent edge soilage since with such a device the edges of the crotch area remain free to stretch and extend up and around the sides of a pad.

In accordance with this invention it has been found that, if the width of the crotch portion of the panty is restricted by an encircling absorbent band, edge soilage is prevented. A suitable device for this purpose comprises a flat piece of absorbent material provided with attachment means along one or both sides thereof, whereby an encircling and restricting band may be formed and placed around the crotch portion of a panty.

One embodiment of a device of this type is shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. The device shown comprises an elongate sheet 11 of soft pliable material. The preferred construction comprises a laminated sheet in which the bottom layer 12 is of moisture impervious material, such as polyethylene or a similar plastic film, and the top layer 13 is of absorbent material. The top surface or layer 13 (FIG. 5) comprises absorbent material such as cellulose wadding or non-woven sheet stock and may consist of one or multiple layers, the latter being preferred. The laminate may also be reinforced by an interposed layer of woven or non-woven scrim 14.

In this embodiment, sheet 11 is divided into an upper circular panel 15 and a lower rectangular panel 16 of approximately equal length, joined by a centrally disposed narrow neck portion 17 intermediate the width of the sheet. Lower panel 16 has two wing-like flaps 18 and 19 respectively extending on either side of said neck portion, which may be folded inwardly to overlap each other and form a band. One of the flaps 19 is provided with an adhesive strip 20, or other suitable means, for attaching the flaps to each other when positioned over the crotch portion of the panty.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional sanitary panty before the device is in place. It comprises front and back body portions 22 and 23 respectively, a crotch portion 21 joining the body portions, a stretchable waist band 24 and leg openings 26 surrounded by stretchable tape bindings 27.

In FIG. 3, the protective device of FIG. 2 is shown in place on the panty of FIG. 1.

As shown the protective device is placed over the crotch portion 21 of the panty with the moisture-impermeable side 12 facing down and with upper panel 15 overlying the anterior or front body portion 22 of the panty. Flap 19 of lower panel 16 is folded under the crotch portion and flap 18 of lower panel 16 is also folded under the crotch portion to overlie flap 19 and is attached thereto by adhesive 20 to form a band around the crotch portion. This encircling band narrows somewhat the width of the fabric making up the crotch portion, restricting it from transverse expansion while allowing the fabric to stretch or contract freely in its longitudinal direction. The encircling band thus prevents edges of the panty from creeping around the sides of a sanitary napkin to eliminate this source of undergarment soilage. At the same time, the absorbent top surface of the device will pick-up any overflow from the sanitary napkin itself to prevent surface soilage.

This type of protector is also useful for tampon wearers in that it has sufiicient absorbent capacity to receive minor tampon leakage. While the device is designed primarily for use with catamenial appliances it may also be worn at other times by women who are troubled with the problem of daily spotting.

The ready disposability of the device provides excellent protection against undergarment soilage while giving the wearer a sense of additional security.

An alternate embodiment of the device is shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. This embodiment comprises an elongate sheet 31 of soft pliable material divided into an upper rectangular panel 35 and a lower rectangular panel 36 joined by a centrally disposed neck-like portion 37. The bottom surface 32 of said sheet is fluid impervious, and the upper surface 33 is fluid absorbent. The fluid-impervious layer 32 may comprise a coating, such as a filmforming resin or wax, or it may be a laminated sheet of plastic film material. The fluid absorbent layer may be one or more sheets of cellulose wadding, non-woven fibers or the like. Lower panel 36 has wing-like portions 38 and 39 extending from neck-like portion 37 whereby said wing-like portions may be folded over and attached to each other to form a tube-like band adapted to encircle the crotch portion of a panty. In this embodiment the attachment means comprise strips 40 and 41 of cohesive material which adhere only to each other when overlapped. As shown, cohesive strip 40 is disposed along the edge of the bottom impervious side 32 of the wing-like portion 39 of bottom panel 36, while cohesive strip 41 is on the fluid absorbent side 33 of wing-like portion-38. In use the FIG. 4 embodiment is attached to the panty in the same manner as is shown for the FIG. 2 embodiment in FIG. 3.

FIGURE 7 is another alternate embodiment of the shield wherein two flat panels are provided adjacent the central band, rather than one panel as shown previously. This embodiment comprises an elongate sheet 51 divided into a central panel 46, an upper panel 45, and a lower panel 52. The upper and lower panels are joined to the central panel by centrally disposed neck-like portions 47. The opposing side portions of central panel 46 comprise wing-like portions 48 and 49 extending from neck-like portions 47 whereby said wing-like portions may be folded over around the panty crotch and attached to each other by adhesive means 50 to form a tube-like band encircling the crotch portion of the panty. In this embodiment the upper and lower panels extend and lie substantially flat over the anterior and posterior portion of the panty to provide additional protection.

As noted above the absorbent layer may comprise single or multiple plies of material and may also be reinforced by a supplementary scrim. The impervious layer may comprise a continuous coating or a thin plastic film.

Any suitable adhesive may be employed for attaching the side edges of the lower panel when placed over the crotch portion of the garment. The adhesive strip shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 is preferably of a pressure sensitive type, while the adhesive strips shown in FIG. 4 are of the cohesive type. A water-activatable adhesive may also be used but it is less convenient and hence less desirable. Inexpensive snaps or Velcro type fasteners may also be employed for attaching the overlapped wings to form the band.

In FIG. 3 of the drawings, the upper panel of the FIG. 2 device is shown as being positioned over the anterior portion of the panty. This is the preferred posi tion for day time wear. However, when the two panel embodiment is used, the upper panel may also be positioned over the posterior portion of the panty depending upon the preference of the wearer. The latter arrangement is sometimes preferred for night-time wear. For additional protection, however, an additional lower panel may be added as shown in FIG. 7. In any event, the fluid impervious surface should always be worn adjacent the panty fabric with the absorbent surface being exposed.

While the device is described as being used with a conventional panty it may also be used with a stretch panty or panty girdle. v

The size of the disposable protective device may vary to suit the particular user. A convenient size for the two panel construction has been found to be one in which the overall longitudinal dimension is 8" and the width is 4". As a general rule, the width of the panel forming the band should be such that when it is folded over to form the band-like tube it will act to narrow down somewhat the cooperating crotch portion of the panty. The length of the band-forming panel preferably should be substantially less than the length of the panty crotch portion.

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of the various embodiments shown and described herein. Other modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the invention is limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable absorbent shield for protecting the crotch portion of panty undergarments from soilage comprising an elongate sheet of flexible material divided into at least two panels and joined by an intermediate necklike portion, said sheet having a bottom fluid impervious layer and a top fluid absorbent layer, the edge portions of one of said panels adjacent said neck-like portion comprising opposed wing-like flaps adapted to be folded over each other and to confine and encircle the crotch portion of a panty undergarment therewith, at least one of said wing-like flaps being provided with means for fastening together said wing-like flaps when folded over each other in said encircling arrangement.

2. A disposable absorbent shield for protecting the crotch portion of panty undergarments from soilage comprising an elongate sheet of flexible material having an upper and lower panel joined by an intermediate necklike portion, said sheet having a bottom fluid impervious layer and a top fluid absorbent layer, the edge portions of said lower panel adjacent said neck-like portion comprising opposed wing-like flaps adapted for folding over each other in overlapping engagement and confining and encircling the crotch portion of a panty undergarment therewith, at least one of said wing-like flaps being provided with adhesive means for attachment of said winglike flaps when overlapped in said encircling arrangement.

3. The device of claim 2 in which the upper panel is of circular configuration and the lower panel is of rectangular configuration.

4. The device of claim 2 in which the upper panel and lower panel are both of rectangular configuration.

5. The device of claim 2 in which said adhesive means comprises a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive marginally disposed along the edge of one of said wing-like flaps.

6. The device of claim 2 in which said adhesive means comprises two strips of cohesive material, one strip being disposed on the bottom surface along the edge of one of said wing-like flaps, the other strip being disposed on the top surface along the edge of the opposing Wing-like flap.

7. The device of claim 2 in which the fluid absorbent layer comprises at least one sheet of absorbent fibrous material.

8. The device of claim 2 in which the fluid absorbent surface layer comprises multiple plies of cellulose wadding.

9. The device of claim 8 in which the multiple plies of cellulose wadding have a reinforcing layer of scrim interposed therebetween.

10. The device of claim 2 in which the fluid impervious layer comprises thin plastic film.

11. The device of claim 2 in which the fluid impervious layer comprises a continuous coating of a film-forming resin.

12. A disposable absorbent shield for protecting the crotch portion of panty undergarments from soilage comprising an elongate sheet of flexible material divided into a central panel and two end panels, said panels being joined by intermediate neck-like portions, said sheet having a bottom fluid impervious layer and a top fluid absorbent layer, the edge portions of said central panel adjacent said neck-like portions comprising opposed winglike flaps adapted for folding over each other with edges overlapping and confining and encircling the crotch portion of a panty undergarment therewith, at least one of said wing-like flaps being provided with adhesive means for attachment of said wing-like portions when overlapped in said encircling arrangement.

13. The combination of a panty undergarment and a disposable sanitary device adapted to be worn therewith, said panty comprising a front and back body portion forming a waist opening and a crotch portion joining said body portions to provide leg openings, said disposable device comprising an elongate sheet of flexible material divided into at least two panels and joined by an intermediate neck-like portion, said sheet having a bottom fluid impervious layer and a top fluid absorbent layer, said device being positioned over the crotch portion of said panty with the fluid impervious side in contact therewith and with one of said panels disposed over the cen-" tral area of said crotch portion, each of the edge portions of said centrally disposed panel being folded under said crotch portion to overlap one another and being attached to each other in the overlapped area to form an encircling freely slidable band around said crotch portion, the remaining panels of said device remaining in substantially flat configuration over a body portion of said panty.

14. The combination of a panty undergarment and a disposable sanitary device adapted to be worn therewith, said panty comprising a front and back body portion forming a waist opening and a crotch portion joining said body portions to provide leg openings, said disposable device comprising an elongate sheet of flexible material having an upper and lower panel joined by an intermediband around said cr-otch portion, the upper panel of said device remaining in substantially flat configuration over a body portion of said panty.

15. The combination of a panty undergarment and a disposable sanitary device adapted to be worn therewith,

said panty comprising a front and back body portion forming a waist opening and a crotch portion joining said body portions to provide leg openings, said disposable device comprising an elongate sheet of flexible material divided into a central panel and two end panels, said panels being joined by intermediate neck-like portions,

said sheet having a bottom fluid impervious layer and a top fluid absorbent layer, said device being positioned rover the crotch portion of said panty with the fluid impervious side in contact therewith and with said central panel disposed over the central area of said crotch portion, each of the edge portions of said central panel being folded under said crotch portion overlapping one another and being attached to each other in the overlapped area to form an encircling freely slidable band around said crotch portion, the end panels of said device remaining in substantially flat configuration and overlying the front and back body portions of said panty.

References Cited CHARLES F. ROSENBAUM, Primary Examiner. 

